Much like Santa, the elderly Italian witch, La Befana, who fills the stockings of children on the night of January 5, has the power of appearing simultaneously in different places. This is true in Florence on Epiphany, January 6, which is the feast both of the Three Kings and La Befana. She will continue her generosity to children all day in the city of the Renaissance. Here are her scheduled appearances: IN TOWN [...]
There are two Christmas activities this week planned for the whole family. All ages can get into the holiday spirit by joining the festive fun! Thursday, Dec. 15: CHRISTMAS WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP. St. Mark’s English Church, via Maggio 16. 8 pm. Open to all ages, participants only need to bring a wire coat hanger; fir branches and decorations will be supplied, which, along with refreshments, are included in the €10 fee. Reservations [...]
Wild Buns is a Scandinavian bakery on Via di Camaldoli, 1/c in the Oltrarno neighborhood. The newest local craze, the café is a small but lovely little place in a cute area of Florence. When you walk in, you’re immediately surrounded by the rich smell of baking and specialty coffee, all made locally. After three on-off years of welcoming guests at various pop-up locations, Wild Buns finally found a permanent home in [...]
The countdown to the end of October is on, and a pre-Halloween Eve event is taking place in Florence! The Children’s Lending Library and Bee-lingual are hosting a pumpkin carving event and themed book reading in English on Sunday, October 23. This activity is wonderful at this time of year. It really brings forward the spirit of the harvest season. Halloween may not be as widely celebrated in Europe as it is [...]
Right off the bank of the Arno lies a gem of Florence preserved from the passage of time. Harry’s Bar combines the classic ambiance of the 1950s with modern offerings to create an elegant and secluded atmosphere for Florentines and visitors alike to escape. Harry’s Bar prides itself on being an experience for all who step through its doors: “much more than a restaurant, not just an American Bar.” While the venue itself [...]
May 13 – 15, 2022: FIRENZE DEI BAMBINI FESTIVAL – Give Me Your Hand. Organized by the Municipality of Florence and MUS.E. Children can engage in free, all in-person activities at Florence’s annual festival, Firenze dei Bambini. The 2022 edition is three days long, allowing children up to 12 years old to participate in various events throughout the city. While events are free, some require a reservation. This year’s festival is entitled “Qua [...]
With Easter just around the corner, many organizations are preparing for the holiday, including Florence’s Children’s Lending Library. Saturday, April 9: Children’s Lending Library’s Easter Party. Undercroft of the church of St. James, via Rucellai 9, Florence. 4 – 6 pm. Entrance: 1 child: €3. Families with 2 or more children: €5. Accompanying adults and children under the age of two are free of charge. All children must be accompanied by an adult. [...]
To celebrate International Mother Language Day, the Children’s Lending Library, together with Bee – Bilingual, is hosting a free event at the Giardino dell’Orticoltura (located on Via Vittorio Emanuele II n.4), on Sunday, February 20, starting at 10:30 am until 12:30 pm. In case of rain, the event will be postponed. The event is set up to promote linguistic/cultural diversity and multilingualism around the world. Mothers, who come from different countries and [...]
The new Museum of Russian Icons has just opened in the Palazzo Pitti. Housed in four large rooms previously inaccessible to the public, the 78 ancient pieces are the oldest collection of icons outside of Russia. Permanently exhibited, the icons, in a setting graced with 17th century frescoes on walls and ceilings, have captions in Italian, English and Cyrillic translating the wording. The Medici and Lorraine ruling families, well known for patronizing [...]
In a holiday season filled with gift giving, the toy stores of Florence want to provide a drop-off point for those wishing to help children of economically distressed families. The “Sospeso” Toy Project brings an opportunity for people in the city to donate gifts that they wish to give to the less fortunate, named after caffè sospeso tradition in Naples which involves paying for someone else’s coffee when they cannot buy one [...]